Tobacco product including releasable flavorant



United States Patent [72] Inventors Robert R. Johnson;

Ezra Dempsey Alford, Lousiville, Ky. 780,239

Nov. 29, 1968 Dec. 8, 1970 1 Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation Louisville, Ky.

a corporation of Delaware [21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [52] US. Cl. 131/17,

131/9,131/15,131/l44,131/261 [51] 1nt.Cl. ..A24b 15/04 [50] Field of Search 99/ 140, (Chem Abstracts); 131/144, 10, 17, 9, 261(A) [56] References Cited OTHER REFERENCES Attaway, .1.A., R.W. Wolford, G.E. Alberding, and G. .1. Edwards. Identification of Alcohols and volatile organic acids from natural orange essence. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 12(2): 118-121 (1964).

Primary ExaminerSamuel Koren Assistant Examiner-G. M. Yahwak Attorney-l(ane, Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan and Smith ABSTRACT: An organoleptically improved tobacco product having added thereto cis-3-hexen-l-ol.

tobacco.

1 TOBACCO PRODUCT INCLUDING RELEASABLE FLAVORANT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many substances are known which when added to a tobacco product improve the flavor and aroma of the tobacco smoke, for example, menthol. Many of these substances, such as menthol, are highly volatile and impart to the tobacco smoke a flavor and aroma generally characteristic of the substance added thereto. Much time and effort are devoted by the tobacco industry to develop additives which, when applied to a tobacco product, will enhance the natural flavor of the tobacco as well as improve the organoleptic qualities of the tobacco which will enhance the tobacco aroma, as well as the flavor characteristics of the tobacco product made therefrom. Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a smoking tobacco product having a material added to the tobacco which will readily transfer to the tobacco smoke and pass through a filter element even of the high filtration type so that the natural flavor qualities of the tobacco smoke are enhanced.

Another object of the invention is the provision of smoking products, such as cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, or tobacco smoke filters, having added thereto a releasable flavor additive which will impart a desirable fresh natural taste to the smoking product when smoked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, our invention contemplates providing an organoleptically improved tobacco product having added thereto cis-3-hexen-l-0l, which imparts to the product the enhanced and desirable fresh flavor and aroma of natural tobacco. Cis-3-hexen-l-ol is readily transferred either from the filter section or the tobacco section into the smoke stream when the tobacco product is smoked. The organoleptic qualities of cis-3-hexen-l-ol, particularly when transferred to the tobacco smoke, impart a desirable fresh flavor and aroma of DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The flavor compound, cis-3-hexen-l-ol, which we employ to improve the organoleptic qualities of a tobacco product has an odor characteristic of fresh cut green grass. It may be added to a smoking, tobacco, which may consist of domestic tobacco, oriental tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or blends thereof, or it may be added'to the filter or to the paper wrapper.

Cis-3-hexen- 1 -01 is an alcohol which is commercially available, is relatively nonvolatile at ambient temperatures but readily volatilizes and transfers to the tobacco smoke at temperatures substantially below the combustion temperature of burning tobacco. Also, cis-3-hexen-l-ol is sufflciently volatile when added to a tobacco smoke filter so that as the tobacco smoke passes through the filter it is readily. transferred thereto. Cis-3-hexenl-ol has the following physical properties: boiling point, 156C; d g? 0.846; 1.4803.

The amount of cis-3-hexen-l-ol added to a tobacco product may vary greatly; however, a sufficient amountshould be used to achieve the desired organoleptic qualities for the smoking tobacco product when smoked. We have found that the levels of cis-3-hexen-l-ol added to a tobacco product, either to the filter or to the tobacco section, may be as low as 0.001 percent based on the weight of the tobacco. The amount of cis-3- hexen-l-ol added to the tobacco product may be from about 0.001 percent to 0.1 percentbased on the weight of tobacco, preferably from about 0.005 percent to 0.05 percent, and more preferably from about 0.01 percent to 0.015 percent.

Cis-3-hexen-l-ol may be incorporated at any step into the treatment of the tobacco but it is preferred that it be added after the tobacco has been cured, aged and shredded and just prior to the manufacture of the desired tobacco product, for example, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, or other smoking products. Also, it may be added to tobacco smoke filter material prior to forming the filter rod. The additive is conveniently dissolved in a solvent, such as ethyl alcohol, and applied to the tobacco by spraying, dipping or other methods of application generally employed for treating tobacco. Also, it may be sprayed onto the filtermaterial. Although solutions of this compound are preferred, suspensions thereof may be utilized. Other suitable solvents are, for example, acetone, ether, hexane, or the like. After treatment of the tobacco, or the filter, with this substance, substantially all of the solvent is evaporated therefrom prior to its manufacture into tobacco products.

The following example illustrates the use of cis-3-hexenl-ol applied to filter cigarettes. The cigarettes were smoke tested and compared against control cigarettes without the cis-3- hexen-l-ol.

EXAMPLE 1 Sufficient quantities of a solution of cis-3-hexen-l-ol in ethyl alcohol are sprayed on shredded and blended domestic tobacco to produce a 0.005 percent level by weight on the tobacco. After the ethyl alcohol is evaporated from the treated tobacco, cigarettes are made having a standard cellulose acetate filter.

A second quantity of shredded and blended domestic tobac co is sprayed with the same relative quantity of ethyl alcohol. After the ethyl alcohol is evaporated from the tobacco, cigarettes are made having a standard cellulose acetate filter. These cigarettes are used as the control for testing purposes.

Both the cis-3-hexen-l-ol treated cigarettes and the control cigarettes were smoked by an expert smoke panel. The results of the smoke panel test demonstrated a preference for the cis- 3-hexen- 1 -ol treated cigarettes over the control cigarettes.

Cigarettes were made in accordance with Example 1 in which cis-3-hexen-l-ol was added to the tobacco in the following levels: 0.01 percent and 0.015 percent by weight of tobacco. The results of an expert smoke panel test demonstrated a preference for the. treated cigarettes over the control cigarettes. The panel indicated that the cigarettes treated with cis-3-hexen-l-ol provided an improved smoking tobacco product exhibiting enhanced. and well balanced tobacco smoke characteristics generally associated with natural tobacco or tobacco blends.

It should be understood that the term tobacco products as used herein are products made from tobacco, such as, for example, cigarettes, either filtered or unfiltered, pipe tobacco and cigars. Also, the additive, cis-3-hexen-l-ol, may be added to reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes. It is also evident that cis-S-hexen-l-ol may be added not only to the tobacco or filter tip section of a tobacco product but also the cigarette paperwrapper or seam paste employed for gluing the cigarette paper, or to the. packaging material for the tobacco product. It is preferred, however, that the additive, cis-3- hexen-l-ol, be added to the blended and shredded tobacco prior'to its formation into a tobacco product.

It is apparent that a wide variation in the amount of cis-3- hexen-l-ol. employedto treat a smoking tobacco may be made without departing from the invention herein as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A tobacco product having added thereto a sufficient amount of cis-3-hexen-l-ol up to about 0.1 percent by weight of the tobacco so that when the tobacco product is smoked, the tobacco smoke has imparted thereto an enhanced fresh natural of tobacco.

2. A tobacco product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of cis-3-hexen-l-ol is between about 0.001 percent to 0.1 percent by weight of the tobacco.

4. A tobacco product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of cis-3-hexen-l-ol is between about 0.01 percent to 0.015 percent by weight of the tobacco. 

